The Business Challenge
Most online businesses, especially large enterprises, will at some point require purpose built applications to meet their unique requirements that do not fall within the capability of an out-of-the-box solution, no matter how flexible.
The demands that developing bespoke applications places on the business are not just cost. Development projects are notorious for their high risk, often subject to delays, blowing budgets and failing to meet their original objectives. Perhaps even more significant is the overhead in maintaining such applications, often poorly documented and difficult for others to support after the original project team has been disbanded.
How Software Patterns Can Help
Software patterns are prefabricated building blocks for constructing business applications. From simple basic patterns, more complex patterns can then be constructed which are then used to build the business application.
The benefits of this approach are self-evident:
- Less costly than starting from scratch, particularly where an existing pattern exists that nearly matches requirements
- Rapid development and implementation cycles
- Dependable applications since components are pre-tested thus delivering higher quality of code
- Low maintenance due to the relative ease in enhancing structured code built with patterns, the higher quality of code and the significant reduction in the amount of code to manage and maintain through maximising its re-use.
A less obvious benefit of simplifying development is the shifting of focus, from low-level coding to solving business problems. This goes a long way in ensuring that applications are not only bug free, but operate in a way that fits business needs.
CompleteContent - Delivering its Own Technology
The ability to deliver the same technology that is used by CompleteContent itself is at the heart of the philosophy behind its development. As far as possible, the same software patterns used to develop the product have been made available to customers to incorporate in their own business solutions. Workflow patterns, for example, can be used to pipe information to your own applications, providing seamless inter-working between them.
Interfacing With Other Applications
A set of application program interfaces (APIs) define the rules for ‘plugging in’ patterns to your own programs and systems. Where appropriate, the XML based industry standard SOAP is used.
Ready-to-Run Applications
CompleteContent also includes a number of ready-to-run applications, such as customer and supplier contact management systems. These can either be used as supplied or modified by building new patterns designed to your own specific needs.
